Automatic sprinkler



(No Model.) V. LAPHAM.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLBR No. 488,477. Patented Aug. 5, 189D.

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE,

VALENTINE LAPIIAM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,477, dated August5, 1 89O. Application filed August 17, 1889- Serial No. 321,068. (Namodel.)

T all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, VALENTINE LAPHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain' new and useful Improvements in Automatic Sprinklers;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referlcnce marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of automatic fire-extinguishers inwhich a system of fixed pipes is placed in the buildingto be protected,and a series of automatic sprinklerheads is placed upon these pipes forthe purpose of discharging a quantity of water upon a fire which maystart near one of said heads.

The object of my invention is to provide a sprinkler-head which will becertain in its action in the event of a fire, and will also be entirelyfree from danger of opening prematurely. H

The ordinary method of construct-ingsprinkler-heads for the purposenamed is to secure the cap which closes the pipe by means of a powerfullever which is held by soft solder. Great difficulty has beenexperienced in securing-a form of construction which will not be indanger of premature action, because dependence has always been placedupon the solder to resist the pressure upon the long arm of the lever.Solder which is fusible at a low temperature will creep when underpressure, and hence is an untrustworthy agent. The purpose of myinvention is to reduce to the minimum the pressure upon the fusiblemetal and to place the burden upon solid metal.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a perspective of myimproved sprinkler-head. Fig. 2 shows the three parts of the link asthey are separating after the fusing of the soldcr. Figs. 3 and aredetails.

In my device the head A and arch B are not new.

My defiector C is fiXed in the upper end of the arch B by thepresser-screw D, which or countersunk correspondingly, so that it be-4comes self-centering. In use it has been found that the outer guide-lugsare liable to prevent a complete collapse of the removable parts bybecoming locked. This cap is held to its seat by means of the link F,which constitutes the essential feature of my invention, i

and communicates the pressure on the screw D to the cap. The link Fconsists of the post 1, which has a central bearing on the cap E, andpost 2, which receives centrally the pressure-screw D, each of theseelements being shorter than the entire link F. The post 1 is formed witha transverse ledge or step 3, extending beyond its central line neanitslower end. The post 2 is beveled from one side at its lower end, asshown at 4, so as tol `form a transverse edge at its opposite side,

(indicated by 5,) this edge being adapted to bear upon the inner side ofthe ledge 3, the upper portion of the post l lying along the side of thepost 2, the contiguous surfaces conforming each to the other. It will beseen that as the bearing of the edge 5 upon the ledge 3 is off from thecentral line the pressure of the screw D tends to separate the twoposts; but the upper end of the post 1 being relatively many timesgreater in height than the distance from the point of contact between 5and 3 to the central line the leverage is very great,.and a slightlateral resistance at the top of the post 1 will overcome very greatVertical pressure from the screw D and cap E.

The post 2 is provided with a lateral arm 6, having a Vertical slot 7throughout its length, and a transverse groove 8 near its outer end andon its under side. That side of the groove 8 which is toward the linkFisinclined. The opposite side is Vertical.

The post 1 is provided at its upper end with a lateral arm 9, adapted tofit loosely within IOC the slot 7, and of sufficient length to reach tothe inner side of the groove 8. a

A trigger is soldered to the under side of the arms 6 and 9, and isprovided With a lug 11, conforming in shape to and fitting within thegroove S. The end of the arm 9 bears against the lug 11, which in turnbears upon the Vertical side of the groove S.

It will be seen that the pressure communicated to the link F is conveyedto the trigger 10 through the arm 9 and is m`et by the hard metal of thearm 6 at the vertical face of the groove 8, so that no dependence needbe placed in the solder, except to sustain the trigger 10, and thedevice is operative if relance is placed entirely upon the weight ofthis trigger to remove its resistance to the arm 9. I prefer, however,to so adjust the parts that a small portion of the pressure is borne bythe solder, so that the trigger will be forced from ils position whenfreed by the fusing 'of the solder. I accomplish this by removing aportion of the lower side of the outer end of the arm 6 beyond thegroove S, so that it does not cover the entire end of the arm 9. Thisform of construction becomes essential if the sprinkler-head extendsdownwardly from the pipe. a

It is important that the direction ot' separation of the posts 1 and 2should be at right angles, or near] y so, to the plane of the arch B, sothat there may be 110 interference'with the parts when they break away.I secure this position by forming pockets c c in the de'- fiector C toreceive a toe 12 on the upper end of the post 2.

By the use of the screw D for securing the deflector O, I am able toadjust the defiector without injuring any of the parts, and thesprinkler-head is rendered universal, so that it may be placed above orbelow the servicepipe, as the style of defiector may be readily changed.

I claim- 1. In an automatic sprinkler, the combination, with the cap,arch, and a pressure-link for securing the cap, of a trigger supportedby one of the members of the link and secured theretoby a fusiblematerial in aposition to be engaged by the other member of the link,substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In an automatic sprinkler, the combna tion, with the supporting archor frame, of a fiXed deflector secured thereto by a pressurescrew, avalve or cap, and an intermediate link against which said screw bears,substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic sprinkler, the combination of a closing cap or valvehaving a'concentric annular shoulder and having` bearing on the cap, alink com posed of two parts, and a trigger supported between said parts,with a supporting-f rame and a pressure-regulatin g device,subsrantially as described.

4. In an automatic sprinkler, the combination, with thesupporting-frame, the closingcap, and pressure-screw, of an intermediatelink comprising two mainV members having a common line of pressurerespectively from the closing-cap, and pressure-screw and having abearing one upon the other in a plane outside of said line of pressure,each of said main members'having a lateral arm, the one infolded Withinthe other, said arms being under pressure in opposite directions, but inthe same plane, and a third member interposed between suitablebearing-points in said arms and secured in place by a fusible solder,substantially as desoribed, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VALENTINE LAPHAM.

Vitnesses:

F. M. HUNTER, S. SPENCER WARD.

